


Like a Puzzle

by ColdFeetBeforeSunrise



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-09
Updated: 2014-12-19
Packaged: 2018-02-28 18:53:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2743415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColdFeetBeforeSunrise/pseuds/ColdFeetBeforeSunrise
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in the two weeks between Zaheer's defeat and Jinora's ceremony. With Tenzin in recovery, the Air Nation needs a leader, and Jinora steps up to the plate. But as she's to become an airbending master herself, and maybe even act on her crush on Kai--Jinora has more questions than answers, and no one to really ask. Enter Lin, the last person Jinora ever thought she'd want to get to know. [Slow-burn Korrasami and Bopal in the background]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading this much!
> 
> This story is a pleasure to write and work on, and I look forward to hearing what you all think. Please review!

She tries not to pass his door.

 

It’s only been a week, but she knows he’s till covered in scratches and terribly broken looking and the last thing she wants to see is her father frail like that. But today she has no choice. He’s asked for her.

 

She finally approaches the door and through the open doorway she can see Lin by his bed, talking with him.

 

They’re not close. It doesn’t seem at all intimate. But then she looks closer.

 

The look on her dad’s face—she isn’t sure she’s seen it before.

 

“Jinora?”

 

At this, Lin turns, standing. Anything Jinora could’ve imagined between them is gone now, and she pushes it out of her mind, taking a breath and stepping inside, facing him.

 

“Dad.”  She says it quickly, so that her voice can’t betray her emotions. Lin passes by her, the only adult she knows that wouldn’t even attempt to physically comfort her in this moment. Hell, even Mako would put a hand on her shoulder, tell her it’s okay. Her dad’s here. He’s fine.

 

Lin just moves to the door.

 

“I’ll leave you, uh, to it.” And then she’s gone.

 

Jinora’s never understood that woman. There’s always been a mystery to her. She can’t imagine how Lin and her father fit together. Tenzin and Pema, they just worked; like a puzzle that was easily solved. She couldn’t even picture Lin as part of the same puzzle as her father. People said they once matched up—but now they just seemed so… different.

 

Tenzin has scars on his face now. His broad shoulders look so weak curled up in bed like that. She wants him to get up out of bed and shake it off—put her mother and the rest of the Air Temple out of its misery.

 

But she supposes she should be glad he’s alive.

 

“Jinora. Come. Sit.” Jinora’s never been one to question Tenzin’s orders, not ever, and so she follows his commands word for word. She holds his hand in hers.

 

“More than ever…” he coughs, “More than—“

 

He coughs again. She gets closer; ready to push more air into his lungs if that was what he needed.

 

“I’m fine dear, calm down.” He smiles like it hurts to but he doesn’t care.

“Now. I’ve called you here for an important reason. Surely you can see I’m not in the best health.”

 

“Don’t say that Dad.”

 

“It’s true!” He coughs again, laughing. She can’t even crack a smile.

 

“I’m nearly 55 sweetheart. It’s time the airbenders had someone new they could turn to—another master.”

 

That’s when it occurs to her. That’s what the conversation’s about—

 

“Now more than ever, they need someone to lead.”

 

She looks at him, tears threatening to fall from the intensity of what he was implying. Making his 11-year-old daughter the first female airbending master in over a hundred years…

 

“Jinora, you showed so much bravery… so much passion… such an understanding of your abilities and of what the abilities of a community such as ours could make possible. You did what I couldn’t: you brought the airbending students together. I’d be honored to give you your tattoos. You’ve earned them.”

 

She smiles, now crying, holding his hand tightly. His gaze is trained on her, his eyes smiling. But a flicker of something passes through her eyes, and he sees it.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

It takes her a while to voice it.

 

“You’re not… not doing this because something is going to happen to you, right…? Because I don’t think I can lead a whole group of—“

 

“No, dear. Nothing like that. I’ll be beside you the whole time. Don’t you worry.”

 

She smiles and goes in for a hug, careful not to move his body. He smiles too.

 

 

 

 

\---------------

 

Once outside, Jinora lets herself smile and take in the breath of fresh air. Just taking it all in she can feel the air displaced a room over, where all the people are gathered for lunch, she can smell the freshly served hot miso soup.

 

She lets herself savor the air, the smell. She wants to remember this moment. The moment she learned she was to become a _master._

 

The youngest master. She was surpassing her grandfather’s previously held record.

 

It’s funny, for someone who’d never met him, she felt so close to him. Like she understood him. Seeing his likeness, his smiles in paintings and photos just made her feel like there was once someone who would’ve _gotten_ her. She likes to think they would’ve been close.

 

But maybe she was idealizing him because he was her grandfather and the Avatar. Who knows how she would’ve felt about him.

 

Maybe akin to how she feels about Korra? Though she can’t really imagine wanting to play with Korra’s facial hair and sit on her lap.

 

She hears a door open behind her.

 

Whipping around, she sees Asami pushing Korra’s wheelchair out the door, struggling just enough that it’s not surprising when she hits a wall.

 

“Sorry.” Asami apologizes like she’s been apologizing all day.

 

Korra says nothing. She stares straight ahead like she doesn’t even see Jinora, but Asami does.

 

“Jinora! Hi! How was Tenzin?”

 

Right… her father. Was she supposed to tell people about what’d happened? Probably not. That was a safe bet.

 

“Good. He’s good.” She looks to Korra, who looks almost worse than Tenzin wilting in her chair.

 

“Hi Korra. How are you feeling?”

 

“Alright.” Korra says like she’s not, and Asami just gives Jinora an apologetic glance.

 

Jinora frowns. Tenzin rests peacefully, knowing that, for now, everything is alright, but Korra doesn’t have that same peace of mind. With the airbenders stepping in, it made the Avatar almost seem like a useless symbol… Jinora, when she thinks about it, really gets where Korra’s coming from.

 

Still, she wouldn’t do anything differently.

 

“I… uh… sorry.” Jinora apologizes, “I’m uh, headed to lunch. You guys headed that way?”

 

Asami smiles like she’s gonna make an excuse and she doesn’t have to say the words for Jinora to know it’s not happening.

 

“We’ll catch up.”

 

Jinora nods like she understands and starts down the hall toward the lunch room, but what she hears unfold behind her is enough for her to turn into one of the side rooms and listen.

 

“Korra, seriously, you can’t treat Jinora like that. You know how much these kids look up to you.”

 

“Yeah? Have you reminded them I’m the reason they don’t know their grandfather?”

 

“Korra—“

 

“I’m the reason their father and aunt and uncle are recovering from near-fatal injuries. The reason their frail grandmother is coming all the way up from the Southern Water Tribe. The reason Jinora’s sort-of boyfriend was blown out of the sky.”

 

...When did Jinora’s relationship with Kai become a thing that people theorized about? She hardly knew where they stood herself.

 

Asami slumps down, taking Korra’s hands in her own.

 

“Korra…”

 

“No, Asami, you don’t understand. I look at Jinora, Ikki, Meelo, _hell_ , even Tenzin and I wonder how they could ever forgive me—I’m only here because they love Aang… and I can’t even reach him anymore. I lost Aang.”

 

She says it so heartbreakingly, like she’s going to cry, and Asami’s eyes shine like she wants to cry for her. Jinora nearly cries at the words, their implications. Surely Korra knows that none of that is true…? Korra is Korra. She’s family in her own right.

 

Asami and Korra look at each other for a long while.

 

“I don’t know how you can even look at me.”

 

At this, Asami tenses. Her gaze narrows, and she takes Korra’s face in her hands.

 

“I _am_ looking at you. I’m here for you. I’m going to keep being here for you until you stop feeling sorry for yourself.” She says with so much authority that Korra’s reduced to nodding feebly. Korra stares in wonder, and Asami releases her cheeks, taking her hand again.

 

“Now, I’m going to escort you to lunch. We’re going to have a fantastic time. And you’re gonna stop moping, because frankly: 1) it’s not attractive, 2) it’s not you, and 3) none of what you’re saying is true.”

 

At this, Korra smirks. It’s almost a laugh. Asami’s bright smile radiates with pride.

 

“ _You_ think _I’m_ attractive.” Korra says.

 

“Actually, I believe I just said the exact opposite.”

 

Korra snorts. “Maybe with your words.”

 

At this, Asami pushes her toward the hall, and Jinora hides as they pass.

 

And there, another two puzzle pieces that didn’t seem to fit… until they did.


	2. Chapter 2

Jinora takes a seat in the dining hall next to Kai and Bolin, who are talking animatedly about something, and one of the acolytes serves her some soup before she can even think to ask for it.

 

Rather than try to engage in Bolin and Kai’s conversation, Jionra’s mind wanders. Across the room, in a brightly light corner near the windows by the water, are Korra and Asami. Asami cuts Korra’s food into small pieces, but doesn’t feed it to her. Korra struggles with the silverware and won’t let Asami help. It’s kind of funny to watch.

 

A table or so over from Jinora, Lin eats with Mako in silence. Lin meets Jinora’s eyes briefly, before looking back down at her food.

 

“Hey. Hey, Jin—“

 

Kai prods her. He smiles wide and looks to Bolin, who looks back at him. They get in some sort of staring-battle before Kai finally says, “Do you uh… know what like, Opal would want? As like a gift?”

 

“Opal?” She asks it like a question because she barely knows the young airbending Beifong, who sits with her mother and a recovering Bumi and Kya across the room.

 

“Like, I don’t know. I guess we just thought you’d know something about her. Or like, about girls in general, I guess…” Bolin adds. They wait eagerly for Jinora’s response.

 

Mako cuts in—“You know, asking her if she’s interested is always a good start.”

 

Kai’s quick to respond, “Yeah, I mean, but like what if you already have a good feeling that she is?”

 

This makes Jinora frown. She racks her brain for interactions between Kai and Opal—how would she not have noticed this before? And if he’s so sure Opal’s interested, wouldn’t he have the common sense to know Jinora’s interested, too? I mean for god sakes she’d kissed the kid on the cheek—how many times did she have to hint at it?

 

But maybe that meant he _wasn’t_ interested. She hadn’t considered that.

 

“Talk to her.” Lin says. Everyone looks at her, surprised she contributed, but she just keeps looking at her food.

 

“Tell her how you feel. Gifts and presents disappear but those moments—those moments you never forget.” She says with a faraway look in her eyes, and Jinora stiffens, realizing it’s Tenzin she’s remembering.

 

“That’s… a good sentiment. But we’re gonna stick to the gifts. Come on, little bro, we’ve got some planning to do.” Bolin says, ruffling Kai’s hair. They get up and leave, taking their dishes to the other side of the room, and Kai shoots her a smile and big wave.

 

... Was he just being a good friend? Had she really been this oblivious this whole time?

 

Lin takes this moment to pick up her plate and move to Jinora’s table, looking back at Mako and sending him some sort of… telepathic message with her eyes? Or something. He gets up and sort of lingers behind them, ‘keeping guard’.

 

“I need to speak with you, Jinora.”

 

Lin sits across from her, placing her soup on the table.

 

“Okay…?” Jinora says. Lin takes a deep breath in, not meeting Jinora’s eyes.

“As you know, I’ve been stationed here to protect the Air Nomads and oversee the island while Tenzin is still in recovery.”

 

            Why Lin was overseeing and island full of airbenders Jinora couldn’t even fathom, but she did know it to be true. She was pretty sure that Pema could’ve easily handled it on her own, but she just nods and lets Lin keep talking.

 

“And while Kya, Bumi, and Tonraq are all recovering relatively quickly, there’s a long road ahead for Tenzin, and especially for Korra, as they recover from their wounds.” Lin tries meet Jinora’s eyes, but there seems to be some sort of mental block there, keeping her from really allowing herself to connect to Jinora.

 

“Well, Tenzin and I were discussing this, and I think… you know, with the Air Nation so new and vulnerable… we need to bring a sense of normalcy back to these young airbenders—they need to get back to practicing and bettering themselves, and they need a leader and teacher to help them do that.”

 

“And you need me to be that leader.” Jinora says plain and simple.

 

“Yes.” Lin says, “I think everyone will benefit greatly from getting back into routine.”

 

“Alright,” Jinora says, “so what do you want me to do?”


	3. Chapter 3

At dinner that night, Jinora stands up from her table and walks to the center of the room, using her airbending to ring all the chimes and call the Air Nation (and friends) to attention.

 

“Excuse me.” She starts. She sees Kai talking to Opal and it distracts her, so she looks the opposite way to meet Korra’s eyes.

 

“I uh…” Asami smiles encouragingly from behind Korra’s chair, and Jinora takes a deep breath and closes her eyes, them opens them again, finally able to compose her thoughts enough to speak.

 

“Airbending students. _Including_  Ikki and Meelo—“

 

Meelo turns around in his chair, smiling sheepishly at being called out for not paying attention.

 

“It’s time that we returned to our morning mediation and afternoon exercises. Please meet me at the gazebo at sunrise.” She wasn’t forgetting anything, was she?

 

Oh! “Thank you.”

Everyone turns away and goes back to chatting, Korra throwing her a big thumbs up, finally smiling.

 

_____________________

 

 

Later, in bed that night, she wakes up to a harsh whisper. 

 

“Jinora, wake up.”

 

Warm hands shove her a little, and when she finally opens her eyes it’s Kai standing over her, grinning. She starts to open her mouth, but Kai shushes her, looking over that the bed Ikki and Meelo share.

 

“Come on.”

 

He leads her out of the house and up the hill toward the water’s edge, seemingly pulling his glider out of thin air.

 

“Where are we going?” She asks, realizing she’s still irked at him for maybe liking Opal.

 

“You’ll see.” Is all he says, placing her hands on his back and putting the glider up behind them. She loops her hands around his chest and up they go, floating through the night sky. She suspects from the direction they’re going in that they’re heading to the island’s only beach, where the water hits the bay in dunes of soft sand, but her heart skips a beat when she sees people gathered at a campfire not too far off.

 

“Kai, _down_.” She breathes against his ear and it takes him a bit to respond, “Huh?”

 

“Kai. The fire. Come on, we need to get out of sight.”

 

“ _Oh_.” He says, like he finally gets it. They swivel around and touch down behind some bushes, hearing the voices in the distance.

 

“And how is it, seeing your daughter become an airbender?”  Someone who sounds like Kya asks.

 

Kai and Jinora move to try to see the group, and Jinora ends up sort of leaning on Kai to see better, hands on his shoulders. Kai seems content to not see, and settles in to have Jinora lean against him.

 

“Oh, you know… I never really imagined her a bender. But it’s great to she’s found something she really loves.” Suyin and Kya lean against each other like old friends, and Bumi sits across from them, petting a happy Bum-Ju.

 

“Definitely.” Kya says.

“You know, I never imagined you’d be the one to have an airbending Beifong.” Bumi says, and Suyin laughs.

 

“It’s true.”

 

They fall into a comfortable silence. Kai nudges her.

 

“Who’s there?” he whispers.

 

“Just Suyin, Kya, and Bumi.” She tells him in a soft whisper. He nods.

 

“Can I just say something…? I really miss the days when Tenzin and Lin were together.” Kya says.

 

“Ooooh, Ky, you’re not allowed to say that. It’s taboo.” Bumi says, laughing. But Kya seems serious.

 

“Don’t get me wrong, I love Pema. She’s been great. We’ve really gotten close… it’s just… it was different when they were together…”

 

“I know what you mean.” Su adds, “Lin was different. Tenzin was different.”

 

“They were the two dorks in love.” Bumi says dreamily, and Suyin laughs.

 

“Lin was obsessed with impressing mom, and Tenzin was obsessed with impressing Aang.” Suyin’s voice drops. She hesitates before adding, “and now it’s like Tenzin’s gotta _be_ Aang and Lin’s got to be better than Toph ever was. They were both just happier before, being their nerdy selves.”

 

“Certainly more fun to make fun of.” Bumi says with a sigh.

 

Kai prods Jinora, clearly uncomfortable.

 

“Can we go yet?” He whispers.

 

She shushes him, and he goes back to patiently waiting.

 

“I think it was Dad’s death that really changed things.” Kya says.

 

Bumi frowns, “Tell me about it. It was like Tenzin needed to repopulate the whole airbending race after that. And Lin wasn’t gonna drop everything to raise airbending kids.”

 

So that was it, then? Tenzin needed kids. Lin didn’t want to have them.

 

“So sad.” Kya says. They sit in silence for a while before she says, “we should probably get some sleep.”

 

“Oh geez, what time is it? How did I end up keeping you guys out this long. You should be resting.”

 

“Oh don’t worry about it,” Bumi puts his stomach, yawning, “spending time with Bum-Ju keeps me refreshed. Right Bum-Ju?”

 

Bum-Ju makes a noise, and Jinora can tell he senses her. She moves back and hides beneath the bush, but luckily Bum-Ju doesn’t make any move to warn Bumi. Kya puts out the fire and the three adults walk off, talking idly.

 

She lays on the ground for a sec, taking it all in. Lin and Tenzin broke up because he wanted kids. What type of woman was Lin that she _didn’t_ want kids? That concept was totally foreign to Jinora—how anyone could not want kids to take care of?

 

Then again, she couldn’t really imagine Lin with kids… unless you count Mako.

 

…Mako’s not a kid.

 

And then there was the other part of that—the part where Tenzin felt obligated to have kids, like it was his responsibility to father the Air Nation on his own…

 

Would he have left Lin if he knew years later airbenders would pop up on their own? That it wasn’t all up to him?

 

“Jin, can we go now?”

 

Would she even exist?

 

“I have something I want to show you.” Kai says, leaning over her.


End file.
